EPA Proposes New Pesticide Exposure Safety Measures

The agency has announced proposed revisions to the Worker Protection Standard for agricultural workers exposed to pesticides.

Feb 24, 2014

On February 20, 2014, the EPA announced proposed revisions to the Worker Protection Standards that would protect agricultural workers who are regularly exposed to pesticides, according to a news release from EPA. The proposed regulation would protect the country’s two million farm workers and their families.

According to the news release, the proposed improvements to the standard would include better and more frequent worker training regarding the safe use of pesticides, education on how to prevent and treat pesticide exposure, training to inform workers of their legal rights regarding pesticide exposure, expanded posting of no-entry signs for hazardous pesticides and more. EPA has also proposed that children under 16 are not allowed to handle pesticides – with the exception being those who work on a family farm.

EPA has invited public input on the proposed revisions to the Worker Protection Standards, and according to EPA, this marks the first time in 21 years that rules regarding pesticide safety and farmworkers will be re-evaluated. EPA will be accepting comments for 90 days after the notice is officially published in the Federal Registrar. For more information, visit EPA.gov.